U.S. patent application number 14/155741 was filed with the patent office on 2015-07-16 for wireless devices with touch sensors and solar cells.
This patent application is currently assigned to Apple Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Matthew E. Lang.
Application Number | 20150199062 14/155741 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53521364 |
Filed Date | 2015-07-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150199062 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lang; Matthew E. |
July 16, 2015 |
Wireless Devices With Touch Sensors and Solar Cells
Abstract
A wireless input-output device may gather touch input from a
user. The touch input may be wirelessly transmitted to external
wireless equipment such as a computer. The wireless device has a
touch sensor and a solar cell that converts ambient light into
electrical power. Wireless communications circuitry transmits the
touch input to the external equipment using the electrical power
from the solar cell. Energy storage devices such as a capacitor and
a battery can be charged using the electrical power. The wireless
device may have a transparent cover layer. The touch sensor may be
a transparent touch sensor that is located between the cover layer
and the solar cell or the solar cell may be a transparent solar
cell that is located between the transparent cover layer and the
touch sensor.
Inventors: |
Lang; Matthew E.;
(Stratford, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Apple Inc. |
Cupertino |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Apple Inc.
Cupertino
CA
|
Family ID: |
53521364 |
Appl. No.: |
14/155741 |
Filed: |
January 15, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/174 ;
345/173 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02S 40/38 20141201;
G06F 3/0446 20190501; H01L 31/02167 20130101; H04N 21/42224
20130101; G06F 2203/04105 20130101; H04N 5/63 20130101; G06F
3/03547 20130101; G06F 3/0445 20190501; G06F 3/03543 20130101; G06F
1/26 20130101; Y02E 10/50 20130101; H04N 21/42204 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/041 20060101
G06F003/041; H01L 31/042 20060101 H01L031/042; H04N 5/44 20060101
H04N005/44; G06F 3/044 20060101 G06F003/044; G06F 3/0354 20060101
G06F003/0354 |
Claims
1. A wireless device that supplies user touch input to external
wireless electronic equipment, comprising: a touch sensor that
receives the user touch input from an external object; a solar cell
that converts ambient light into electrical power; and wireless
communications circuitry uses the electrical power from the solar
cell to transmit the user touch input to the external wireless
electronic equipment.
2. The wireless device defined in claim 1 wherein the touch sensor
comprises transparent capacitive touch sensor electrodes.
3. The wireless device defined in claim 1 wherein the solar cell
comprises a transparent solar cell.
4. The wireless device defined in claim 1 further comprising a
transparent cover layer, wherein the touch sensor is interposed
between the solar cell and the transparent cover layer.
5. The wireless device defined in claim 4 wherein the touch sensor
comprises a transparent touch sensor and wherein a layer of
visible-light-blocking material is interposed between the
transparent cover layer and the touch sensor.
6. The wireless device defined in claim 4 wherein the touch sensor
comprises a transparent touch sensor and wherein a layer of
visible-light-blocking material is interposed between the touch
sensor and the solar cell.
7. The wireless device defined in claim 4 wherein the touch sensor
comprises a transparent touch sensor and wherein the solar cell
comprises a transparent solar cell.
8. The wireless device defined in claim 7 wherein the solar cell
has a lower surface coated with a layer of light-blocking
material.
9. The wireless device defined in claim 1 further comprising a
transparent cover layer, wherein the solar cell is interposed
between the touch sensor and the transparent cover layer.
10. The wireless device defined in claim 9 wherein the solar cell
comprises a transparent solar cell, the electronic device further
comprising a layer of light-blocking material interposed between
the solar cell and the touch sensor.
11. The wireless device defined in claim 9 wherein the solar cell
comprises a transparent solar cell, the electronic device further
comprising a layer of light-blocking material, wherein the touch
sensor is interposed between the layer of light-blocking material
and the transparent solar cell.
12. The wireless device defined in claim 1 further comprising: a
transparent substrate; and a patterned layer of material on the
substrate that forms the solar cell and that forms touch sensor
electrodes for the touch sensor.
13. A wireless electronic device that supplies user touch input to
external wireless electronic equipment, comprising: a touch sensor
that receives the user touch input from an external object; a solar
cell that converts ambient light into electrical power; and
wireless communications circuitry uses the electrical power from
the solar cell to transmit the user touch input to the external
wireless electronic equipment, wherein the touch sensor has a
rectangular shape and wherein the solar cell is located within a
rectangular ring-shaped border that surrounds the touch sensor.
14. The wireless electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the
external wireless electronic equipment comprises a computer,
wherein the electronic device comprises a wireless track pad, and
wherein the touch sensor comprises an array of capacitive touch
sensor electrodes.
15. A wireless computer accessory that transmits user touch input
to a computer, comprising: a transparent touch sensor that receives
the user touch input from an external object that is touching the
wireless computer accessory; a solar cell that converts ambient
light that is received through the transparent touch sensor into
electrical power; and wireless communications circuitry uses the
electrical power from the solar cell to transmit the user touch
input to the computer.
16. The wireless computer accessory defined in claim 15 wherein the
transparent touch sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor having
transparent touch sensor electrodes.
17. The wireless computer accessory defined in claim 16 further
comprising: a transparent layer, wherein the transparent touch
sensor electrodes are interposed between the solar cell and the
transparent layer.
18. The wireless computer accessory defined in claim 17 wherein the
transparent layer comprises a transparent cover layer, wherein the
touch sensor comprises a transparent substrate, and wherein the
touch sensor electrodes are formed on the transparent
substrate.
19. The wireless computer accessory defined in claim 15 wherein the
solar cell comprises a transparent solar cell.
20. The wireless computer accessory defined in claim 19 wherein the
transparent solar cell has an upper surface and an opposing lower
surface, the wireless computer accessory further comprising a layer
of ink on the lower surface, wherein the transparent solar cell is
interposed between the layer of ink and the touch sensor.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] This relates generally to wireless devices for controlling
electronic devices such as computers, and, more particularly, to
wireless input-output devices with touch sensors.
[0002] Computers and other electronic devices are often controlled
using input-output devices such as keyboards, mice, and track pads.
These devices are often provided with wireless circuitry that
allows the devices to be operated without being connected to a host
by cable. The ability to wirelessly communicate with external
equipment allows wireless input-output devices to be freely moved
around by a user without worrying about cable length restrictions,
cable tangles, and other inconveniences associated with using wired
input-output devices.
[0003] Unfortunately, wireless input-output device are not able to
receive power through a permanent wired connection. This creates a
need for an alternate source of power. Disposable and rechargeable
batteries are possible power sources for wireless input-output
devices, but can be inconvenient to use. Rechargeable batteries use
battery charging equipment that may be misplaced or may otherwise
be inaccessible when batteries become depleted. Disposable
batteries that have become depleted must be removed from the
wireless input-output device and replaced with fresh disposable
batteries, but fresh disposable batteries are not always
available.
[0004] It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide
improved wireless electronic devices such as wireless input-output
devices for controlling external electronic equipment.
SUMMARY
[0005] A wireless input-output device may gather touch input from a
user. The touch input may be wirelessly transmitted to external
wireless equipment such as a computer. The wireless device may be a
track pad, a touch sensitive computer mouse, a keyboard with an
integrated trace pad, or other wireless accessory.
[0006] The wireless device may have a touch sensor that gathers
user touch input and a solar cell that converts ambient light into
electrical power. Wireless communications circuitry in the wireless
device may transmit the touch input to the external equipment. A
power regulator may be used to supply the electrical power from the
solar cell to the wireless communications circuitry and to the
touch sensor. Energy storage devices such as a capacitor and a
battery may be used to store electrical energy using the electrical
power from the solar cell.
[0007] The wireless device may have a transparent cover layer. The
touch sensor may be a transparent touch sensor that is located
between the cover layer and the solar cell or the solar cell may be
a transparent solar cell that is located between the transparent
cover layer and the touch sensor.
[0008] The touch sensor may have a shape such as a rectangular
shape that is surrounded by a border region. The solar cell may
overlap a touch sensor with this type of configuration or may be
located in the border region.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram of illustrative wireless input-output
devices that are wirelessly communicating with external electronic
equipment in accordance with an embodiment.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative system
having equipment that is controlled using one or more associated
wireless input-output devices in accordance with an embodiment.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an illustrative two-sided
touch sensor for a wireless input-output device in accordance with
an embodiment.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a top view of an illustrative pattern that may be
used when implementing a one-sided touch sensor for a wireless
input-output device in accordance with an embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative
solar cell of the type that may be used in powering a wireless
input-output device in accordance with an embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative
wireless track pad of the type that may be powered using a solar
cell in accordance with an embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative
wireless touch-sensitive mouse of the type that may be powered
using a solar cell in accordance with an embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative
stack-up in a wireless input-output device that includes a touch
sensor above a solar cell in accordance with an embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 9 is a graph showing an illustrative spectral response
for a solar cell in accordance with an embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 10 is a graph of a transmission characteristic for an
illustrative ink or other visible-light-blocking layer that may be
used as a layer in a wireless input-output device in accordance
with an embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 11 is a graph of a transmission characteristic for an
illustrative ink or other visible-light-blocking layer with
fluorescent light transmission bands in accordance with an
embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative
layers in a wireless input-output device with a touch sensor and
solar cell in which a visible-light-blocking layer such as a layer
of ink hides the touch sensor and solar cell from view in
accordance with an embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative
layers in a wireless input-output device with a touch sensor and
solar cell in which a visible-light-blocking layer such as a layer
of ink under a clear touch sensor is used to hide the solar cell in
accordance with an embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative
layers in a wireless input-output device with a touch sensor and
solar cell in which ink or a layer of other light-blocking material
is located under a clear touch sensor and a clear solar cell in
accordance with an embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative
layers in a wireless input-output device with a touch sensor and
solar cell in which a light-blocking layer of material such as a
layer of ink under a clear solar cell is used to hide a touch
sensor in accordance with an embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative
layers in a wireless input-output device with a touch sensor and
solar cell in which a clear touch sensor is located under a clear
solar cell and in which a layer of light-blocking material such as
a layer of ink is located under the clear touch sensor in
accordance with an embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative
layers in a wireless input-output device with a touch sensor and
solar cell in which an opaque touch sensor is located under a clear
solar cell in accordance with an embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative
layers in a wireless input-output device with a touch sensor and
solar cell formed from shared structures such as a patterned layer
of material on a substrate in accordance with an embodiment.
[0027] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an illustrative wireless
input-output device such as a track pad in accordance with an
embodiment.
[0028] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative
layers in a wireless input-output device with a touch sensor that
is surrounded by an inactive border region containing a solar cell
such as the input-output device of FIG. 19 in accordance with an
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] Wireless input-output devices can be used to control
electronic equipment such as set-top boxes, televisions, computers,
portable electronic devices, or other host devices. An illustrative
system environment in which wireless input-output devices are being
used to control a host such as a computer or other external
electronic equipment is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1,
wireless input-output devices 10 may include wireless computer
accessories such as wireless keyboard 10A, wireless track pad 10B,
and wireless mouse 10C. Wireless keyboard 10A may have keys 12 and
an integrated track pad such as track pad 14. Wireless track pad
10B may have a planar surface such as surface 16 that is used to
gather touch input from a user. Portion 18 of wireless mouse 10C
may be used to gather touch input from a user. Devices 10B and 10C
may also have buttons or other components to receive user
input.
[0030] Wireless links 20 may be used to support communications
between wireless input-output devices 10 and external wireless
electronic equipment such as wireless host device 22. Wireless
links 20 may be low-energy Bluetooth.RTM. link, other short-range
low power wireless links, or other wireless communications paths
(e.g., wireless paths using radio-frequency transmissions
associated with radio-frequency transceivers, ultrasonic sound
transmissions, light transmissions, or other transmissions that do
not require cabling between devices 10 and device 22).
[0031] Host device 22 may have a housing such as housing 26 in
which display 24 is mounted or may be implemented without a display
(e.g., in a set-top box configuration). Host 22 may be controlled
using user input from input-output devices 10. For example, a user
may use one or more of devices 10 to gather user touch input that
positions a cursor on device 22, to gather multi-touch gesture
input, to click on a desired on-screen option being presented to a
user on display 24, or may otherwise use devices 10 to supply user
input to host 22. The user input that is wirelessly transmitted to
host 22 preferably includes user touch input gathered with a touch
sensor in device 10. Host 22 may optionally supply output to a user
through wireless devices 10. For example, host 22 may transmit
information to devices 10 that devices 10 display using
status-indicator lights or other output structures.
[0032] A schematic diagram of the equipment of FIG. 1 is shown in
FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, wireless external electronic equipment
such as host 22 may have wireless communications circuitry 42.
Electronic input-output device 10 may have wireless communications
circuitry 40. Wireless radio-frequency transceiver circuitry such
as wireless communications circuitry 40 and 42 may be used to
support communications over wireless link 20. The communications
may be unidirectional between device 10 and device 22 or may be
bidirectional.
[0033] Device 10 may have touch sensor functionality and
light-based power generation capabilities. For example, device 10
may have a touch sensor such as touch sensor 28 and light-based
power circuitry 34. Light-based power circuitry 34 may convert
light that is incident on device 10 into electrical power for
powering the circuitry of device 10. Touch sensor 28 may be used
for gathering user touch input from a user.
[0034] Touch sensor 28 may include touch sensor electrodes such as
touch sensor electrodes 30. Touch sensor electrodes 30 may be
capacitive touch sensor electrodes for capacitive touch sensing.
Touch sensor processing circuitry 32 may be used to supply drive
signals to touch sensor electrodes 30 and to gather corresponding
sense signals. Touch sensor processing circuitry 32 may process the
signals associated with touch sensor electrodes 30 (e.g., drive
signal and sense signal data) and may use this information to
generate touch data. Touch sensor electrodes 30 may form an array
across the surface of touch sensor 28. Touch sensor processing
circuitry 32 may use the array of touch sensor electrodes 30 to
gather lateral (X-Y) position information on the point or points of
contact of an external object or objects (e.g., a stylus, one or
more user fingertips, etc.) with sensor 28. Motion information
representing how an external object moves across the surface of the
touch sensor array may also be gathered by touch sensor 28. User
touch input that is gathered by touch sensor 28 may include
information on where a user's finger or other external object
clicks (presses down) on the touch sensor, location data (i.e.,
information on where the user's finger(s) or other external object
touches the touch sensor), and touch gesture information (e.g.,
information on finger swipes, information on multitouch gestures
such as pinch-to-zoom gestures, information on multi-finger swipe
gestures, and other touch input involving the motion of one or more
fingers or other external objects across the touch sensor). If
desired, non-capacitive touch sensor technology may be used in
touch sensor 28. For example, touch sensor 28 may be implemented
using acoustic touch technology, force-based touch sensor
technology, resistive touch technology, etc. The use of a
capacitive touch sensor for touch sensor 28 of device 10 in FIG. 2
is merely illustrative.
[0035] Power circuitry 34 may include a light-based source of power
such as solar cell 36. Solar cell 36 (sometimes also referred to as
a photovoltaic cell or light-based power source) may be based on
inorganic semiconductors (e.g., crystalline silicon, polysilicon,
amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, gallium arsenide, etc.),
organic semiconductors (e.g., polymers such as polyphenylene
vinylene), or other suitable materials. During operation, solar
cell 36 is exposed to ambient light and converts the ambient light
to electrical power. The electrical power from solar cell 36 may be
stored in one or more energy storage devices 44 such as a battery
or capacitor. Power regulator 38 may be used in regulating the flow
of power from solar cell 36 to energy storage circuitry 44 and in
regulating the flow of power to the circuitry of device 10 from
solar cell 36 and from energy storage devices 44. For example,
power regulator 38 may provide electrical power from solar cell 36
to storage device 44 and/or other components in device 10 such as
touch sensor 28 and wireless communications circuitry and other
circuitry 40 and may be used in providing electrical power from
storage device 44 to circuitry such as touch sensor 28 and wireless
communications circuitry and other circuitry 40.
[0036] Wireless communications circuitry and other circuitry 40 in
device 10 may be used to support wireless communications with
external devices such as device 22 (e.g., by communicating with
wireless communications circuitry 42 in device 22 over wireless
link 20). Wireless communications circuitry 40 may, for example,
transmit user touch input to external wireless equipment 22 using
electrical power from solar cell 36 (i.e., electrical power
provided to circuitry 40 using regulator 38). The wireless
communications circuitry of device 10 and device 22 may include
low-energy Bluetooth.RTM. transceiver circuitry and/or other
short-range low power wireless circuitry (e.g., wireless local area
network transceiver circuitry). Wireless communications circuitry
40 and 42 may also include cellular telephone circuitry or other
longer range transceivers, if desired. In general, power
consumption may be minimized by using low power wireless schemes
such as by using wireless communications circuitry 40 that relies
solely or primarily on short range low power transceiver circuits
for communicating with a nearby host (i.e., for communicating with
a computer that is within a 3 meters of device 10 or other suitable
distance).
[0037] To control the operation of device 10, circuitry 40 may
include control circuitry. The control circuitry may include
storage and processing circuitry. The storage and processing
circuitry may include storage such as hard disk drive storage,
nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other
electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a
solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic
random-access memory), etc. Processing circuitry in circuitry 40
may be used in controlling the operation of device 10. The
processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors,
microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors,
power management units, audio codec chips, application specific
integrated circuits, etc.
[0038] If desired, device 10 may include input-output devices in
addition to touch sensor 28. For example, circuitry 40 may include
buttons, joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key
pads, keyboards, microphones, speakers, tone generators, vibrators,
cameras, sensors, light-emitting diodes and other status
indicators, data ports, displays, etc. A user can control the
operation of device 10 by supplying commands through these
input-output devices in addition to supplying touch input through
an input-output device such as touch sensor 28 and may receive
status information and other output from device 10 using the output
resources of these input-output devices. The input-output resources
of device 10 may, if desired, include one or more input-output
connectors such as digital data connectors, analog signal
connectors, connectors that handle power, analog signals, and/or
digital data, or other input-output connectors. If desired, device
cost and complexity can be minimized by omitting some or all of
these additional input-output devices.
[0039] Touch sensors such as touch sensor 28 may use electrodes 30
in a capacitive touch sensor arrangement such as the illustrative
configuration of FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, electrodes 30 may be
formed on a substrate such as substrate 50. Substrate 50 may be a
dielectric such as glass, ceramic, plastic, or other suitable
material. If desired, substrate 50 may be shared with other
structures in device 10 (e.g., solar cell structures, protective
cover layer structures, housing structures, etc.). The
configuration of FIG. 3 is merely illustrative.
[0040] Capacitive touch sensor electrodes 30 may have square
shapes, diamond shapes, or other shapes that allow sensor 28 to
determine the location of external object 56 relative to sensor 28
in lateral dimensions X and Y. In the example of FIG. 3, electrodes
30 include elongated rectangular upper surface electrodes 52 that
run along lateral dimension Y on the upper surface of substrate 50
and elongated rectangular lower surface electrodes 54 that run
along lateral dimension X on the lower surface of substrate 50
(i.e., electrodes 52 may run perpendicular to electrodes 54). Paths
58 may be used to supply drive signals to electrodes 52 and to
gather corresponding sense signals from electrodes 54 (as an
example). During operation, an external object such as external
object 56 (i.e., one or more fingers of a user or a stylus) may be
placed in the vicinity of the surface of touch sensor 28 (e.g.,
directly on sensor 28 or within a few millimeters or other suitable
distance of the surface of sensor 28). Touch sensor processing
circuitry 32 (FIG. 2) is used to determine the location of the
touch event (i.e., the point of contact of object 56 in dimensions
X and Y) based on signals from electrodes 30. Lateral position data
(i.e., position information in lateral dimensions X and Y) may be
used to control the location of a pointer or other icon on a
display associated with device 22 or may otherwise be used as input
to device 22.
[0041] If desired, touch sensor electrodes 30 may be formed on a
single side of substrate 50. A portion of an illustrative one-sided
touch sensor array is shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, touch
sensor 28 may contain diagonally interconnected square electrodes
30 on a surface of substrate 50 some of which are used to carry
drive signals D and some of which are used to gather corresponding
sense signals S. When a user's finger or other external object is
placed in the vicinity of electrodes 30 (e.g., in the vicinity of a
pair of electrodes), sensor circuitry 32 can gather signal data
that is converted into user touch input to be conveyed wirelessly
to device 22. Electrodes 30 may be implemented using rectangular
pads, narrow or thick lines of conductive material, diamond-shaped
pads, meandering traces, or other suitable patterned conductor
shapes.
[0042] Electrodes 30 for a two-sided touch sensor of the type shown
in FIG. 3 or for a one-sided touch sensor of the type shown in FIG.
4 may be formed from conductive materials. In some arrangements,
electrodes 30 may be formed from metals such as copper, aluminum,
gold, etc. In other arrangements, electrodes 30 may be formed from
transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide or indium
zinc oxide (e.g., a transparent semiconductor or other transparent
conductive material).
[0043] Solar cell 36 is formed from semiconducting materials. A
cross-sectional side view of solar cell 36 is shown in FIG. 5. As
shown in FIG. 5, solar cell 36 may have multiple layers such as
upper layer 36A and lower layer 36B. Additional layers (e.g., thin
layers of metal, etc.) may also be included in solar cell 36. In
the example of FIG. 5, layer 36A is a layer of p-type silicon and
layer 36B is a layer of n-type silicon. Other semiconductors (e.g.,
other inorganic semiconductors and/or organic semiconductors) may
be used, if desired. The semiconductor material that is used in
forming solar cell 36 (i.e., layers such as layers 35A and 36B) may
be formed from materials that are opaque in the visible spectrum
and/or materials that are transparent (clear) in the visible
spectrum (or that are sufficiently thin to be effectively
transparent in the visible spectrum). The materials used in forming
solar cell 36 may be transparent or opaque at infrared
wavelengths.
[0044] During operation of solar cell 36, ambient light 62 (e.g.,
daylight and/or artificial light) is incident on solar cell 36 and
produces an output voltage V across solar cells 60. Output voltage
V can be used to power touch sensor 28, wireless circuitry 40, and
other components in device 10 and can be used to store energy in
energy storage 44 (FIG. 2). When ambient light levels are low,
power can be provided by energy storage device 44 (e.g., instead of
using solar power or to supplement power from solar cell 36).
[0045] A cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic
device such as device 10B of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 6. Electronic
device 10B may be a track pad. As shown in the cross-sectional side
view of FIG. 6, track pad 10B may rest on a table or other support
structure having support surface 74. Main touch sensor structure 64
(e.g., a planar member that lies in the X-Y plane of FIG. 6) may be
supported using support legs such as legs 66 and 70. Legs such as
legs 66 may be tall rear legs that tilt surface 64 towards a user.
Solar cell 36 and touch sensor 28 may be mounted within structure
64.
[0046] Switch structures such as switch 68 or other force-sensitive
components may be interposed within leg 70 or elsewhere in device
10B to monitor when a user has used finger 56 to press downwards on
surface 64 in direction 72 (i.e., parallel to vertical axis Z). A
user may, for example, position fingers such as finger 56 in X and
Y, while touch sensor 28 in main structure 64 is gathering X-Y
position data and may press downwards in direction 72 on structure
64 when it is desired to click on an on-screen option or to
otherwise provide a "click" input. Ambient light 62 that is
incident on structure 64 is converted into power by solar cell 36
in structure 64.
[0047] A cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic
device such as device 10C of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 7. Electronic
device 10C may be a computer mouse. As shown in the cross-sectional
side view of FIG. 7, mouse 10C may rest on a table or other support
structure having a surface such as support surface 74. Optical
sensor 76 or other sensors may be used to gather information on the
lateral movement of mouse 10C across surface 62 in the X-Y plane of
FIG. 7. Touch sensor 28 may be mounted in a region such as region
78 along the upper surface of mouse 10C. Touch sensor 28 in mouse
10C may be used to gather location information for touch events
(i.e., touch input associated with contact between external object
56 and the surface of device 10C). A user may supply single-finger
and multi-finger gestures to mouse 10C using touch sensor 28. Solar
cell 36 may be mounted within device 10C (e.g., in region 78, in a
border surrounding region 78, or elsewhere) to generate power from
ambient light 62. If desired, mouse 10C may include one or more
buttons to receive click inputs in addition to or instead of
gathering click (tap) inputs from touch sensor 28.
[0048] In configurations of the type shown in FIG. 6, input-output
device 10 (e.g., track pad 10B) has a planar surface for gathering
touch input with touch sensor 28. In configurations of the type
shown in FIG. 7, input-output device 10 (e.g., computer mouse 10C)
has a curved surface for gathering touch input with touch sensor
28. In forming devices with curved surfaces such as illustrative
device 10C of FIG. 7, it may be desirable to form touch electrodes
30 and solar cell 36 using flexible substrates that can be bent to
conform to the curved device surface or it may be desirable to form
touch electrodes 30 and/or solar cell 36 by depositing layers of
material (e.g., polysilicon for a solar cell and/or indium tin
oxide or other materials for a touch sensor) onto a curved support
structure, thereby forming touch sensor and solar cell structures
with a curved shape. Arrangements using a combination of these
approaches may also be used. For example, device 10 may be formed
by bending touch and solar cell structures to accommodate
attachment to a curved surface in device 10 and/or touch sensor and
solar cell layers may be deposited on a curved substrate, thereby
avoiding the need to bend separate touch and/or solar cell
substrates into a desired shape. Configurations for device 10 that
have flat surfaces are sometimes described as an example. These
configurations are, however, merely illustrative. Device 10 may
have a planar top surface, may have a curved top surface, or may
have a housing that has planar and curved portions.
[0049] A cross-sectional side view of an illustrative configuration
for the touch sensor and solar cell structures that may be used in
forming device 10 is shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8, device 10
may have a clear cover layer such as cover layer 80. Cover layer 80
may be transparent so that ambient light 62 passes through cover
layer 80. Cover layer 80 may be formed from a transparent structure
such as a layer of transparent glass, a clear plastic layer, or
other transparent material. Adhesive 82 (e.g., clear adhesive) such
as liquid adhesive or pressure sensitive adhesive may be used to
attach touch sensor 28 to the underside of cover layer 80 and to
attach solar cell 36 to the underside of touch sensor 28. If
desired, adhesive layers 82 may be omitted (e.g., in configurations
in which the structures of cover layer 80, touch sensor 28, and
solar cell 36 are formed by depositing layers of material on the
underside of cover layer 80, in configurations in which layers are
laminated together using heat and pressure in the absence of
intervening adhesive, or in other configurations).
[0050] In the configuration of FIG. 8, touch sensor 28 is
interposed between cover layer 80 and solar cell 36. Touch sensor
28 of FIG. 8 may be formed using transparent material for
electrodes 30 and transparent material for substrate 50 (i.e.,
touch sensor 28 of FIG. 8 may be a transparent touch sensor).
Transparent substrate 50 may be a layer of transparent plastic, a
layer of transparent glass, or other clear material. Transparent
electrodes 30 may be formed from clear conductive materials such as
indium tin oxide or indium zinc oxide (as examples). As shown in
FIG. 8, ambient light 62 passes through transparent touch sensor 28
and is absorbed by solar cell 36. Solar cell 36 may be formed from
an opaque solar cell structure such as a silicon-based solar cell
structure (as an example).
[0051] FIG. 9 is a graph in which the spectral response of a
silicon solar cell has been plotted. As shown in FIG. 9, when solar
cell 36 is implemented using silicon, the response of the solar
cell extends from blue visible light (with a wavelength about equal
to 0.4 microns) to near infrared light (with a wavelength about
equal to 1.1 microns). It may be desirable to block solar cell 36
from view by a user. To block solar cell 36 from view, a layer of
material such as ink or plastic that is opaque to visible light may
be interposed between the user and solar cell 36. To allow solar
cell 36 to receive sufficient ambient light 62 to produce
electrical power, the visibly opaque material may be infrared-light
transparent. For example, the visible-light-opaque material may be
transparent at near infrared wavelengths above 0.7 microns (i.e.,
at the red end of the visible spectrum). By ensuring that the
visible-light-opaque material is transparent in a suitable infrared
wavelength range (e.g., 0.7 microns to 1.1 microns), a portion of
ambient light 62 having infrared wavelengths (e.g., 0.7 microns to
1.1 microns) may be transmitted through the visible-light-blocking
material to solar cell 36 to convert to electrical power. At the
same time, the opacity of the visible-light-opaque material at
visible wavelengths of 0.4 microns to 0.7 microns ensures that
solar cell 36 will be blocked from view. If desired, the material
that is used to hide solar cell 36 from view may have relatively
narrow transmission windows at fluorescent light wavelengths (as
shown in the graph of FIG. 11), thereby allowing solar cell 36 to
be powered by indoor light fixtures while still being significantly
opaque to viewers at visible light wavelengths.
[0052] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of display 10 in an
illustrative configuration in which visible-light-blocking material
90 (e.g., ink or other material with a transmission characteristic
of the type shown in FIG. 10 or FIG. 11) is interposed between
cover layer 80 and touch sensor 28. Touch sensor 28 may be
transparent so that light 62 (e.g., infrared light or fluorescent
light that has passed through visible-light-blocking material 90)
may reach solar cell 36. Broadband visible light 62' may be blocked
by material 90. Material 90 may be, as an example, a layer of black
ink deposited on the lower surface of cover layer 80 that is
transparent at near infrared wavelengths (or at narrow fluorescent
light wavelengths).
[0053] In the illustrative configuration of FIG. 13,
visible-light-blocking material 90 has been interposed between
transparent touch sensor 28 and solar cell 36. Visible-light
blocking material 90 preferably blocks visible light 62' while
allowing ambient light 62 such as infrared light or fluorescent
light to reach solar cell 36. With the arrangement of FIG. 12,
material 90 blocks both touch sensor 28 and solar cell 36 from view
by a user. With the arrangement of FIG. 13, material 90 blocks
solar cell 36 from view, while transparent touch sensor 28 is
invisible or nearly invisible to the viewer due to the use of
transparent electrodes 30 and transparent substrate 50.
[0054] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of display 10 in an
illustrative configuration in which both touch sensor 28 and solar
cell 36 are transparent. A layer of material such as material 92
may be located below solar cell 36. Material 92 may be ink or other
material that is deposited on the lower surface of solar cell 36,
may be a separate structure formed from plastic, metal, or other
material, or may be other structures visible through transparent
touch sensor 28 and transparent solar cell 36. As an example,
material 92 may be black ink, white ink, silver ink, gold ink, red
ink, ink of other colors, or other light-blocking material.
Material 92 may be deposited in a uniform film (i.e., material 92
may be a blanket layer of unpatterned ink) or material 92 may be
patterned (e.g., to form a logo that is visible through the layers
of device 10). Material 92 may be opaque to visible light and, if
desired, may be opaque to infrared light.
[0055] In the illustrative configuration of FIG. 15, solar cell 36
is interposed between touch sensor 28 and cover layer 80. Because
solar cell 36 lies above touch sensor 28, it may be desirable to
configure solar cell 36 to minimize electrical shielding effects,
thereby allowing the capacitive electrodes of touch sensor 28 to
gather touch data without being impeded by the presence of solar
cell 36. With one suitable arrangement, solar cell 36 is patterned
so that the conductive layers of cell 36 have a pattern that
minimizes interference with touch sensor 28 (e.g., solar cell 36
may be formed from a pattern with floating strips of solar cell
material, each overlapping a respective elongated rectangular touch
electrode such as electrodes 52 of FIG. 3, solar cell 36 may be
formed from electrically floating squares of solar cell material,
etc.).
[0056] Solar cell 36 of FIG. 15 may be a transparent or opaque
solar cell. If solar cell 36 is opaque, light 62 will be absorbed
in solar cell 36. The appearance of device 10 will therefore be
determined by the appearance of solar cell 36. In this type of
situation, it may be desirable to form solar cell 36 from a blanket
film of polysilicon or other semiconductor structures having a
uniform appearance.
[0057] Touch sensor 28 of FIG. 15 may be a transparent touch sensor
or an opaque touch sensor. Material 92 may be interposed between
solar cell 36 and touch sensor 28. In arrangements in which solar
cell 36 is transparent, the appearance of device 10 of FIG. 15 will
be controlled by the appearance of material 92. For example, if
material 92 is silver ink, device 10 will appear silver.
[0058] FIG. 16 shows how visible-light-blocking material 92 may be
formed below touch sensor 28 in configurations in which both solar
cell 36 and touch sensor 28 are transparent. Solar cell 36 is
located above touch sensor 28, so the intensity of light 62
reaching solar cell 36 is not diminished due to the presence of
touch sensor 28. Solar cell 36 and touch sensor 28 are clear, so
the appearance of device 10 can be controlled by appropriate
selection of the appearance of layer 92. For example, if layer 92
is formed from silver ink, the silver color of the silver ink will
be visible through transparent solar cell 36 and transparent touch
sensor 28.
[0059] If touch sensor 28 is opaque and has a satisfactory
appearance, solar cell 36 may be transparent and may be interposed
between touch sensor 28 and cover layer 80, as shown in FIG. 17.
With the arrangement of FIG. 17, the appearance of device 10 is
determined by the appearance of touch sensor 28, which is opaque
(in this example).
[0060] If desired, solar cell structures for solar cell 36 such as
semiconductor layers 36A and 36B of FIG. Sand touch sensor
structures for touch sensor 28 such as electrodes 30 of FIG. 4 may
be formed from one or more shared layers of material. FIG. 18 is a
cross-sectional side view of device 10 in an illustrative
configuration in which a layer of patterned material is formed on
the bottom of a transparent substrate layer 102. Layer 102, which
may be formed from clear glass, transparent plastic, or other
transparent material, may be the outermost layer of device 10
(e.g., a layer such as cover layer 80) or may be covered with one
or more other layers of structures.
[0061] As shown in FIG. 18, the patterned layer of material on the
lower surface of substrate 102 may include sublayers such as layers
36A and 36B. Layers 36A and 36B may be p-type and n-type doped
semiconductor layers that are layered on top of each other and
connected to terminals 60 to serve as solar cell structures for
solar cell 36. The layer of material containing layers 36A and 36B
is patterned to create gaps 100 (i.e., gaps filled with plastic,
air, or other dielectric). Gaps 100 electrically isolate areas of
the layer of material on the underside of layer 102. These
electrically isolated areas of material can have square shapes or
other suitable shapes that allows the isolated areas to serve as
touch sensor electrodes 30.
[0062] The isolated areas of material (i.e., the square sections
containing layers 36A and 36B) may be coupled to touch sensor
signal lines 58 and may be diagonally interconnected to form drive
lines D and sense lines S for touch sensor 28, as shown in the
illustrative electrode pattern of FIG. 4. Other electrode patterns
may be used if desired (e.g., elongated rectangular patterns,
etc.). Capacitors may be interposed in lines 58 to block
direct-current (DC) solar cell signals and thereby prevent these DC
signals from reaching touch sensor processing circuitry 32, while
allowing touch signals associated with touch sensor processing
circuitry 32 to pass.
[0063] In the configuration of FIG. 18, shared solar cell and touch
sensor electrode structures are patterned in a single layer on the
bottom of substrate 102. If desired, two-sided configurations may
be used in which some structures (e.g., solar cell structures,
touch sensor electrodes, or structures that serve both as touch
sensor electrodes and solar cell structures) are formed on the
upper surface of a substrate and in which other structures (e.g.,
solar cell structures, touch sensor electrodes, or structures that
serve both as touch sensor electrodes and solar cell structures)
are formed on an opposing lower surface of the substrate.
Single-sided and two-sided substrates that incorporate shared touch
sensor electrode and solar cell structures may also be formed in
layers that are attached to one or more separate touch sensor
layers and/or solar cell layers.
[0064] A solar cell can be formed in a border region of device 10.
A perspective view of an illustrative configuration for device 10
in which a rectangular touch sensor array (touch sensor 28) has
been surrounded by a rectangular ring-shaped border (border 150) is
shown in FIG. 19. One or more solar cells may be formed in border
120 in addition to or instead of forming solar cell 36 in the
center of device 10 overlapping the rectangular touch sensor array.
Border 120 may be devoid of touch sensor electrodes (i.e., border
150 may be insensitive to touch) or border 120 may contain touch
sensor electrodes (i.e., touch sensor electrodes 30 may extend
across the surface of device 10). In arrangements in which border
120 contains touch sensor electrodes, the touch sensor electrodes
may be clear to permit light to reach underlying solar cell
structures or solar cell 36 may be formed on top of the touch
sensor electrodes. Illustrative stacking configurations for
accommodating both touch sensor electrodes and solar cell 36 in
border 120 are described in connection with FIGS. 8-18.
[0065] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional side view of device 10 of FIG.
19 taken along line 122 and viewed in direction 124 in a
configuration in which border 120 is free of touch sensor
electrodes 30 for touch sensor 28. As shown in FIG. 20, touch
sensor 28 may lie under central rectangular region 128 of substrate
126. Region 128 may be free of solar cell structures (as shown in
FIG. 20) or may include solar cell structures.
[0066] Substrate 126 may be a layer of clear glass, transparent
plastic, or other structure that allows light 62 to reach solar
cell 36 in border 120 (e.g., a cover layer such as cover layer 80
or an internal substrate layer in device 10). In configurations in
which central region 128 is free of solar cells structures,
light-blocking layer 92 (e.g., a layer of black ink, silver ink,
ink of other colors, or other opaque material) may be used to block
touch sensor 28 from view. In region 120, solar cell 36 may be
uncovered by light-blocking structures or a layer of ink that
blocks visible light while passing infrared light (or narrow
fluorescent light wavelengths) can be used to cover solar cell 36
so that solar cell 36 receives light 62 while simultaneously
blocking solar cell 36 from view.
[0067] The foregoing is merely illustrative and various
modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments.
The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any
combination.
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